Paper-feeding machine



H. HALLSTREAM PAPER FEEDING MACHINE April 12, 1927. 1,624,787

y Filed Jan.16, 1924 3,.sneetssneet 1 Apnl l2 1927 H. HALLSTREAM PAPERFEEDING MACHINE v Filed Jan. 16, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 7i l A L j A Apnl12 1927 H. HALLSTREAM PAPER FEEDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan.16, 1924 from ins Paten' Apr.. l2, 1927.

UNETE STATES HENNING HALLSTREAH, OF BROCKTONV, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORTO CROSS FEEDER COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0FMASSA- CHUBETTS.

PAPER-FEEDI'NG MACHINE.

Application inea January 16., 1924. serial No. 686,528.

The invention relates to paper feeding machines which separateindividual sheetsy from a. pile or bank and forward them in successionto a mechanism or machine for operating thereon.

The object of the invention is to provide a sheet separating and feedingmechanism of the suction feed wheel type which is well adapted for highspeed operation in separating sheets of any size from a bank or pile anddelivering them in regular suc cession to a folder or other -machine foroperating upon the sheets. To this end the invention comprises featuresof construction and combinations of parts hereinafter des ribed andreferred to in the claims.

The invention will be readily understood 'iection of the accompanyingdrawings an the following detail description of the mechanismsillustratedI therein.

ln the drawings Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section showing somuch ot' a continuous paper feeding machine as is necessary toillustratethe application of the present invention thereto;l Fig. 2 is a sectionaldetail on line 2 2, Fig.l l; Fig. 3 is a sectional detail on line 3-3,Fig. l; Figs.

4 and iare vertical sectional "iews showing the arts at the front end ofthe feed table in different positions; Fig. 6 is a detail showing a partof the cut-out mechanism on a larger scale; Fig. 7 is a ver-ticalsection showing parts of the bank feeding mechanisln; and Fig.'8 is adetail sectional view of the suction nozzle and perforated rim of thefeed Wheel.

In the drawings-the invention is shown embodied in a paper feeder lofthe continu-l ous t pe in which a bank of feathered or faune out sheetsare fed from an upper delivery table through a reversing throat and ontoa lower feed table, the forward end of which is indicated at 2. Theindividual sheets are separated from the front end of the bank andresented to continuously acting delivery devices comprising the lowercontinuously rotating rolls 4 aludl the upper rolls 6 which are carriedin arms 8 andare continuously pressed against the lower rolls by thesprings 10.

4the pump or 'other mechanism for tween the delivery rolls or reaches apredetermined point, the suction through the' rim of the wheel is cutout or stopped and is again restarted asthe rear edge of the sheetpasses from between the delivery rolls or beyond said point. By thuscontrolling both the stopping andstarting of the-suction by the sheet,sheets of any length may be separated and delivered in rapid succession.without requiring adjustment or re-- timing of'the separating mechanismfor. different lengths of sheets. This feature of coi'itrolling, by thesheet, the throwing into and out ot' actiony of sheet separating deviceswhich separate and advance individual sheets, is not confined in itsapplication'tol machines in whiclrthe sheet separating devices comprisea suction feed wheel and suction nozzle and may be embodied with Aad.-vantage in machines in which other forms of sheet separating andadvancing devices are employed.

In the construction shown, the suction nozzle is in continuouscommunication with l creating a partial vacuum therein and the suctionthrough the rim is stopped or cut out by lifting the nozzle away fromthe rim and is re-started by returning the nozzle into position againstor close to the inner sur 9U face of the rim. is shown, the 4nozzle isin the form of a box adapted to lit snugly agalnst the inner surface ofthe wheel rim and provided with a series of port holes 1 6 adaptedtoregister with rows of perforations 18 which extend substantially yfromside to side of the rim, as indicated in Fig. 8. The suction wheelissecured to acontinuously rotating shaft 20 so mounted that the rim ofthe wheel is slightly above the forward end of the bank and the nozzleis carried on the end of a hollow lever 22 pivotally supported on atransverse shaft 24 and having its rear end connected through suitablepipe connections with a suction producing device.

The cut-out mechanism comprises a ratchet wheel 26 secured to the shaft20 and a pawl 28 connected with the suction nozzle and movable into andout of engagement with the ratchet wheel. .The pawl is secured to a pawllever 30, the lower end of which is pivotally connected to the suctionnozzle and the upper end of which is arranged to he engaged by the rearend ot1 a rod 32. The rod is guided in a stud 34 and itsfront end ispivotally connected to one arm of a vhell crank lever 36, the other armof which car ries the cut-out linger 38 which is arranged across thepath vof the sheet. 'lhe lever" 36 is pivoted on thebracket 40 whichalso supports other parts of the cut-out mechanism and the lever ispressed in a direction to maintain the cutout finger in position acrossthe path ot the sheets by a light spring` 42. lhe lower end ofthecut-out finger projects into a grooved roll 44 which is secured to theshaft. which carries the lower delivery7 rolls 4 and as a sheet isadvanced by the suction t'eed wheel, its trent edge is directed againstthe cut-out nger hy the grooved roll and rocks the cut-out nger so thatthe rod 32 swings the pawl lever 3() to engage the pawl 28 with theratchet wheel 26. When thisA occurs, the tooth of the ratchet wheelwhich is engaged by the pawl acts to positively litt the pawl andthrough it the suction nozzle and thus cut out the suction through therim of the wheel. rllhe upward movementof `the pawl lever brings a camsurface 46 on the upper end of the lever into engagement with a pin'l,so that the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet wheel. The' spring ofthe parts when the suction is broken by the forcible lifting of thesuction nozzle tends to throw the part-s upward so that the pawl isreadily disengaged from' the ratchet wheel. When the suction nozzle islifted, it is retained in raised position 'by a trip pawl 50, the upperend of which is pivoted on the pawl lever 30 and the lower end ot' whichis arranged to engage a trip pin 52 which is mounted inthe bracket 40.'llhe trip pawl is acted upon by/a light spring 54 which tends to holdthe lower end of the pawl either in engagement with the side (of 'thetrip pin 52 or in engagement with a stop pin 56 on the bracket 40. The'sidel of the ltrip pin engaged by the pawl is attened or cut away asindicated by 'thel dotted section lines in Figure 6v and the stop pin'56 is so arranged with relation to the trip pin that as the pawl lever30 is raised, the lower end of the trip pawl will swing in over theupper edge of the trip pin, as indicated in Figthat the suction nozzleis lowered into active fl' position. This movement of the cut-out tingerand suction nozzlebrings the offset upper end of the pawl carrying lever30 into position to he engaged'by the rear end ot the rod 32, asindicated in Figure' Il, thus re-setting the cut-outmechanism. rTheconnection between the cut-out finger and the trip pin Bft 52 comprisesa link 58 connecting anarm 60l on the end ot the trip pin with an arm 62on the rock shaft 6e which carries the trip nger lever 36.

'llhe front edges of the sheets at Athe torward end ot theba'nk restagainst and are supported by upwardly inclined guide. tingcrs 66 and theupper sheet is raised into engagement with 'the rim of the 'iced wheelhy the action of air blasts directed hy nozzles 68 in an upwardlyinclined direction against the trout edge ot the loa-nk. The air blastsalso serve to ensure the separation ot the top sheet -from thesheets'heneath it when the top sheet is drawn against the rim of thewheel by the suction therethrough and also serves to wind the top sheetso that it may be readily removed from the bank and carried away by thedelivery rolls.

The rloankot feathered' or tanned-out sheets is ted forward over thefeed table hy feed tapes 70 which are actuated by feed mechanismcontrolled fromthe front end of the loank to'maintain it inpropeerelation to the suction feed wheel as the tanned-out sheets aresuccessively removed. rthe feed mechanism comprises a ratchet wheel 72secured to the shaft 74 which carries the pulleys 76 tor the trent endsof the feed tapes and a feed pawl 78 which is given al feeding strokeonly when the front end ot the bank is back of a predetermined point.The feed pawl is carried on one arln ot a lever 80 and is heldi'nengagement with the ratchet wheel by a spring 82. The pawl carryinglever is acted upon by a spring 8l which acts to re tract the pawl whenpermitted to do so. Whenever the pawl isyretracted it is adw vanced tofeed forward the vloank of sheets by a cam 86 secured to the shaft 20and arranged to act on a roll 88 on the lever 80., Theretractingmovementot the pawl is normally prevented by a pivoted pawl 90which is arranged to engage a stop shoulder 92 onY the lever 80 when thecam rolhiridjes ol of the high part ot the cam land registers with thelow part. The action oitythe `Stop pawl 90 is controlled by ,a finger 94ihm 'no feed of the bank wil take place.

frontend of the bank recedes, the finger will below the front end of thebank and arranged to play through a slot in one of the guide fingers 66.The finger 94 is secured on a rock shaft 96, the outer end of which isprovided with an arm/98. A rod 100 is pivoted to the arm and its rearend passes through a guide pin 102 and is so arranged that it may passunder the lower end of a i rod 104, the upper end of which is pivotallyconnected to the pawl 90. The controller finger 9-l is held against thefront edge of the bank by a light spring 106 connected with the arm 98.

Each time the cam roll 8S passes onto the high part of the cam 86,v thepawl 9() is raised out of the notch 92, as indicated -in Figure 7, andat this time the rod 10() is free to pass under the rod 104 unlessprevented by the engagement of the finger 94 with the front end of' thebank of sheets. So long as the frontend of the bank holds the finger inthe position indicated in the drawings,

the pawl will be free to engage the notch 92 during each cycle of themachine and As the swing to the left in Figure 6'until the rod is movedto the left in Figure 7 sufliciently to bring it under the rod 104 whenthis rod is lifted as the pawl 90,1'ides out of the notch 92. When thisoccurs, the pawl .will be rendered inactive and the cam'roll 88 will bepermitted to ride down onto the low part of the feed cam so that thefeed pawl will be retracted into position to engage a. new tooth in theratchet wheel 7 2 and will impart a feeding movement to the bank as theroll rides onto the high part of the cam. The feed pawl will continue toadvance the bank during each.cycle until the controlling finger 94 isswung into. such position-.that the rod 100 is withdrawn from under vtherod 104,'thus again rendering the pawl 90 active.

Thesuction feed wheel 12 and the def livery rolls 4' are driven at-thesame snrface speed by gearing indicated in Figure 7 so that the suctionfeed wheel feeds forward the sheets at the same speed at which 'they arecarried forward by the delivery rolls. The sheets are thus separated anddelivered in rapid succession with one sheet following but slightlyseparated from the preceding sheet regardless of the length lof thesheets which are presented to the suction l feed wheel.

lVhile it is preferred to employ the construction and arrangement ofparts shown and described in embodying the invention in a feeder of thecontinuous' type, it will be understood thatthis ,construction andarrangement is not essential to the broader features of the inventionand may be varied or modified as found desirable' or best suited to theconstruction and mode of operation of the feeding mechanism in which itis to be embodied or of the mechanism to which lthe sheets are to befed.

What isclaimed is.: 1. A sheet feeding machine having, in

`con'ibination, a suction sheet separating -device, and mechanismcontrolled by the'sheet for rendering said device active andforrendering said deviie inactive.

t2. A sheet feeding machine having, in combination, a suction sheetseparating device, and mechanism controlled by the front edge of thesheet for rendering said device inactive and controlled by the rear edgeof the -sheetfor rendering it again active.

3. A sheet feeding; machine having, in combination, a sheet separatingdevice, a cut-out finger arranged to be engaged by the suction sheet,cut-out mechanism thrown into operation by engagement of the front edgeof the sheet with the finger to render the separating device inactive,and means thrown into operation by the disengagement of the linger bythe rear edge of `the sheet fonrendering the sheet separating deviceAactive and re-setting the cut-out mechanism.

4. A sheet feeding machine having, in combination, a sheet separatingdevice including a nember vwhich is raised to render the deviceinactive, a pawl connected tu move with said member, a-ra'tchettraveling in a direction to lift the pawl and member when engaged by thepawl, a sheet operated cut-out finger' connected to engage the-pawl withthe? ratchet, a trip pawl for holdingthe member .in raised position, andmeans for releasing the trip pawl to lower said member. 4

A sheet feeding machine-having, in con'ibination, a sheet `separatingdevice including a member which is raised to render n the deviceinactive, a pawl connected to move with Said member, a ratchet travelinglmember in raised position, and means for releasing the trip pawl by themovement of the cut-out finger \vliendisengaged by the rear end. of thesheet.

6. A sheet feeding machine having, in combination, a sheet separatingdevice 4in cluding a member which is raised to rende-r the deviceinactive, a pawl connected with the member, a ratchet wheel rotating ina direction to lift the pawl and member, a trip pawl mounted to movewith the ratchet pawl, a trip pin for supporting the trip pawl.when'raised by the ratchet, and means for rocking the pin to release thetrip pawl.

7. A sheet .feeding machine having, in combination, ,a sheet separatingdevice inclucling a member which is raised to render' inn llfi

lift) the device inactive, a pawl connected With the member, a ratchetWheel rotating in a direction to lift the pawl and member, a trip pawlmounted to move with the ratchet pa-wi., and a trip pin supporting thetrip pa'wi Whenraised by the ratchet and rocked i by the cut-out finger.

8. A .sheet feeding machine haring, in conibirnition, a suction feedwheel having a perforeted rim, a suction nozzle within the rim overwhich it travels, means operated by thi` frontend of the Sheet advancedby the feed wheel for interrupting the suction through its rim, andmeans operated by the rear edge of said sheet for restoring the suction.

9. sheet feeding machine having, in combination, a snctioi'i feed wheelhaving a perforated rim, :t sin-tion nozzle within the r'n'n over whichit travels, and sheet controlled mechanism for disengnging the nozzlefrom the rim to cut out the snci ion on the' sheet and for re-engagingthe nozzle to restore the suction.

1t?. fheet feeding -m-rlchine having, in combination, a suction feedwheel having a perforated rim, means for creating a suction through therini along its .sheet engaging element, sheet controlled nieans forrendering the suction inactivebn the sheet, and sheet controlled meansfor rendering the suction again active on the succeeding sheet.

11. sheet feeding machine having, in combination, asnction feed wheelhaving a perforated rim, a suctiony nozzle within the rim .over which ittravels, .sheet controlled means for iiftingthe nozzle, continuouslyacting delivery devices, and means controlled by the rear end of thesheet presented to the delivery devices by the feed wheel for loweringthe suction nozzle.

1Q. sheet feeding machine having, in

combination,r a suction feed Wheel having a I perforated rim, a suctionnozzle vWithin the rim over which it travels, and 'mechanism controlledby each sheet for positively disengaging the nozzle from the rim tointermittently vcnt out the suction on successive sheets.

13n A. sheet feeding machine having, in combination, a suction feedwheel having a perforated rim, a suction nozzle Within the' rim overwhich it travels, a pawi connected with the nozzle, afratchet travelingin a direction to lift the pawl and nozzle when engaged by the pawl, anda sheet operated cnt-out linger connected to engage the pawl with theratchet.

'1%. A sheet feeding machine having, in combination, a Suction feedWheel having a perforated rim, a suction nozzle within the rim overwhich it travels, a pawl connected to the nozzle, a ratchet traveling ina direction to lift the pawl and. nozzle When enl gaged 'by the pawl, acut-ont finger conf trip pawl when raised by the ratchet, and a sheetoperated cut-out finger connected to engage the pawl with the ratchetand to rock the trip pin.

HENNING HALLSTREAM.

